—"Therefore it's hyperbola and nothing shorter!" was the Captain's quite as confident reply.
"For gracious sake!—" resumed Ardan.
"Then produce your asymptote!" exclaimed Barbican, with an angry sneer.
"Let us see the symmetrical point!" roared the Captain, quite savagely.
"Dear boys! old fellows!—" cried Ardan, as loud as his lungs would let him.
"It's useless to argue with a Mississippi steamboat Captain," ejaculated Barbican; "he never gives in till he blows up!"
"Never try to convince a Yankee schoolmaster," replied M'Nicholl; "he has one book by heart and don't believe in any other!"
"Here, friend Michael, get me a cord, won't you? It's the only way to convince him!" cried Barbican, hastily turning to the Frenchman.
"Hand me over that ruler, Ardan!" yelled the Captain. "The heavy one! It's the only way now left to bring him to reason!"
"Look here, Barbican and M'Nicholl!" cried Ardan, at last making himself heard, and keeping a tight hold both on the cord and the ruler. "This thing has gone far enough! Come. Stop your talk, and answer me a few questions. What do you want of this cord, Barbican?"